Dubai Culture launches creative summer camp: 'Our summer is Art & Culture'

Children in the emirate can now prepare for an eventful summer as Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced the launch of its creative summer camps for public libraries ‘Our Summer is Art & Culture’ from 22^nd July to 27^th August 2020. Facilitating an opportunity for a fun-filled summer for children across the emirate and beyond.

Dubai Culture has launched a package of specialised courses for children aged 6-12 years. Taking the participants on a learning expedition to explore the wonders of science, literature, and creativity, the programme this year is spread across five camps that have meaningful and diversified activities divided into two sessions – morning session from 10 am until 12 pm and evening session from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. The programme provides an opportunity for the kids to learn from the comfort of their homes, while not missing out on the fun. Number of participants in the physical camps set up in libraries will be limited, with an emphasis on preventive measures and social distancing.

Organised by Dubai Public Libraries, the programme also includes distinctive and innovative training workshops that aim to enhance the literary, scientific, technical, environmental, heritage, and artistic culture among the participating children, along with polishing their life skills, with a special focus on technological development. It is also designed to help kids keep pace with the latest trends in artificial intelligence and help them explore creative and innovative side of learning.

In addition to the various workshops, reading activities, storytelling, and interactive session, the young participants can also benefit from activities that are created by specialised educators, including presentation skills, short story-writing workshops, and how to make your story cover. These workshops are aimed at developing the writing skills of the children and help them enhance their abilities to build narrative around characters, and encourage them to contribute towards the literary scene.

The activities of the programme this year focus on developing artistic skills of participating kids ranging from calligraphy, photography art, drawing basis workshops, puppet making workshops, designing favourite characters, and more. These sessions seek to unleash children's creativity. As for the technological activities, it provides children with an educational experience through IT awareness workshops, exploring smart apps, and program robots. In addition to hours of fun and learning children will also learn how to develop creative skills, problem solving techniques and express opinion along with a bunch of scientific workshops, virtual trips, and heritage workshops that seek to inspire children and foster their relationship with the authentic Emirati heritage and culture, in addition to various cultural competitions.

Dubai Culture also takes this opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of the Arabic language by reviewing the aesthetics of the Arabic language and enhancing their skills in learning to write letters in the Arabic language in addition to the cultural workshops that are concerned with the defining and teaching of Arabic calligraphy arts.

Dr. Hissa Ahmed Binmasoud, Director of Public Libraries Department in "Dubai Culture", pointed out that setting up a summer camp aims to give the opportunity for the largest possible number of children to benefit, while they are in their homes, from targeted activities full of fun and benefit based on enhancing their mental and creative capabilities during their summer vacation.

Dr. Hissa said "“Given the existing conditions, Dubai Culture took the decision of making this year’s programme virtual and physical. Spread over 5 camps with morning and evening sessions, that suit everyone, and we will continue to elevate the intellectual, mental, and emotional levels of the young participants this summer. We seek to nurture a generation of individuals who are confident of their capabilities, and ready to lead in the future, helping to achieve Dubai and UAE’s vision that embraced the future and opened the doors for its outlook and industry.

She added, "We look forward to attracting distinguished scientific, literary, and artistic talents this summer to help them develop continuously and refine their skills through a variety of activities in a knowledge, education, and entertainment oriented environment. In addition to motivating children to make reading their hobby, we also want to help them enhance their scientific research, and polish their skills in writing, drawing, design, technology, and environmental preservation, in addition to learning other life skills such as self-expression, logical thinking, problem solving, as well as culinary.”

The program for this year includes five virtual camps and five physical camps within public libraries, the first will take place between 22^nd and 28^th July, while the second will take place from 3^rd to 6^th August, the third from 9^th to 13^th August 2020, and the fourth will be held in the period between 16^th and 20^th August, while the fifth camp will be held from 23^rd to 27^th August.

The launch of ‘Our Summer is Art & Culture’ programme is in line with Dubai Culture’s efforts of enhancing the cultural scene in the Emirate of Dubai by qualifying generations of researchers, scientists, authors, and innovators, and creating new ways of education that provide an interactive educational environment and contributes to the development of young minds through knowledge and by empowering them with necessary life skills.

Those wishing to register can contact any branch of Dubai public libraries, or register through our website: www.dubaiculture.gov.ae